Delta plan to make uplift sustainable: experts
In order to make development sustainable and more productive, the process for preparing Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) is progressing incorporating all development aspects, water and development experts said here today.
Bangladesh Delta Plan should be prepared considering its own perspective as the country has unique and complex geographical characters, they told a seminar on "Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100" at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
The BIISS in cooperation with General Economic Division (GED) organized the seminar.
Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, Director General of BIISS Major General AKM Abdur Rahman, Chairman of Board of Governors of BIISS Munshi Faiz Ahmed, among others, addressed the inaugural function of the seminar.
Vice Chancellor of University of Asia Pacific Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, water experts, officials, representatives of different government and non-government organizations, among others, addressed the technical session of the seminar, while Member (Senior Secretary) of GED Dr Shamsul Alam presented two keynote papers.
As Bangladesh is the world's largest delta, Anisul said, it needs to develop a delta plan incorporating various environmental and developmental aspects aiming to ensure sustainable economic growth through long-term development visions.
Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100 is being prepared by integrating delta-related sectors and all geographic regions of the country for developing a holistic plan, he added.
"Bangladesh has three river basins - Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna. Very few countries of the world has such big river basins," the minister said emphasizing the need for a better water management system.
"If we can prepare a holistic plan relating to all delta sectors, the country would be able to foster its development process through ensuring better water management system," he added.
Bangladesh needs cooperation of neighboring countries - India, Bhutan and Nepal -- to prepare an effective delta plan, Anisul said adding, "We have to continue dialogue with these countries to prepare better water management.
As Bangladesh possesses unique and distinct geographical characters and it needs to take separate development planning for those regions, Dr Shamsul said adding six hotspots of the country have been identified considering unique and separate geographic characters for preparing an effective Delta Plan for Bangladesh.
Six hotspots are coastal zone, barind regions, haor regions, Chittagonh Hill Tracts, rivers and estuary and urban areas.
"Bangladesh is already witnessing adverse impact of climate change.... So, the climate change issue should be incorporated in the delta plan," Dr Shamsul added.
About the trans-boundary water management to prepare delta plan, he stressed incorporation of multi-layered dialogue between participating countries and multi-track water diplomacy to peacefully resolve conflicts on water.
Official sources said Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP)-2100 Formulation Project is being prepared in line with 19 thematic areas that include river system management and morphological dynamics, water resources, coast and polders, public health, water supply and sanitation, climate change, disaster management and land resources management.
The thematic areas also include urbanizations and settlement, agriculture and food security, fisheries and livestock, ecological settings forest and biodiversity, environmental pollution, population growth and management, socio-economic and demographic condition, sustainable transportation and infrastructure, information and knowledge management and regional cooperation.
Source: BSS
